If you build it, they will run

Western Wyandotte County has witnessed a building boom, with open spaces transformed into a sprawling shopping center, an exhaust-spewing speedway and, soon, a new soccer complex. But a group of local residents is pushing a different kind of construction in the vicinity of Village West.

An often-overlooked resource, Wyandotte County Lake Park sits a stone’s throw from The Legends retail district. For members of the Trail Nerds, an ultra-running group I wrote about last year, this spot is a little slice of dirt-kicking, mud-splashing, root-strewn heaven. In recent years, the Nerds have added two miles of trails to extend the paths to a 10-mile loop. But they’re not done yet.

Earlier this year, three seasoned Nerds — Kyle Amos, Shane Jones and Jim Megerson — pooled $100 and a bunch of tools from their collective garages to start a new endeavor: the Trail Masons Association. The grassroots crew aims to build more trails throughout the Kansas City area, but they’re starting with 10 to 15 new miles at WyCo Park. “It’s about giving back to our community, creating sustainable trails experiences, exposing folks to WyCo and the great outdoors,” Megerson says.

And it’s kicking off in earnest this weekend.

Many stretches of the trail at WyCo Park are badly eroded, Megerson says. So, in honor of National Public Lands Day tomorrow, the Masons are hosting a work session Saturday morning. As a reward for shoveling, hoeing, leveling and trash collecting, volunteers will get lunch — and possibly some door prizes from Dynamic Earth and Gerber Legendary Blades.

The event runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sign up here.